The present invention relates to a skate with in-line wheels.
In-line skates are generally constituted by a shoe comprising a shell, made for example of plastics, with which a plastic cuff is rotatably associated; a soft innerboot is inserted in the shell and cuff. Fastening means, such as adapted conventional levers, are associated with the shell and cuff.
A frame shaped substantially like an inverted U is associated below the shell and a plurality of wheels are pivoted, so as to rotate freely by means of pivots, between the wings of the frame and are thus arranged in line.
A drawback which can be observed in these conventional skates is the fact that the dimensions and position of the wings of the frame considerably affect the behavior of the skate during sports practice, particularly when skating along a curve or bend.
In this condition the user can in fact set a lateral inclination angle which is at the maximum value when it corresponds to the angle between the plane whereon the wheel rolls and the plane passing through the lowest point of the frame wing and the lateral surface of the wheel.
This lateral inclination angle is therefore limited by the fact that the wings constituting the frame and between which the wheels are pivoted set a limit which cannot be exceeded, on penalty of slipping and falling violently, consequently limiting the turning radius and therefore the maneuverability of the skate.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,666,168 discloses a skate having just two wheels and comprising a shell below which a frame is associated, the frame is formed by two separate half-shells which can be associated to each other by screws.
Splined profiles are provided below the shell for connection to the frame, and screws for fixing the half-shells are located at adapted reference planes which rest against each other upon fastening.
The position of the reference planes, which are adapted to ensure good connection between the half-shells, and of the corresponding fastening screws prevents the use of wheels in the central region, thus limiting the skate maneuverability, directionality and stability; moreover, the lateral bulk of the supporting arms of the pivot and of the wheels limits the inclination which can be achieved with the skate.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,348,321 discloses a skate with in-line wheels in which the frame has a single wing from which wheel pivots protrude in a cantilever manner; in this case, too, the dimensions of the wing limit the inclination of the skate, and it is also noted that the moment per unit of surface discharged at the root of the pivot is very high because of the length of the pivot and because of its cross-section, which seems to be small.